


To the River

by Moonbeam_life



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Not Beta Read, Not Canon Compliant, Swords
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-13 07:09:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29522751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonbeam_life/pseuds/Moonbeam_life
Summary: Rhea Bouderaux never thought she would do anything worth noting. But she's in for a new awakening when she decides to befriend a lonely Percy Jackson, who quickly turns her world upside down.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase & Percy Jackson & Grover Underwood, Annabeth Chase & Percy Jackson & Original Female Character(s), Percy Jackson & Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	1. She makes a friend

**Author's Note:**

> (A/N) I moved a few convos around. Please tell me if I made a mistake.

He was still sitting there, by the lake. He'd been doing that a lot lately, since his dad claimed him. No one seemed to want to be with him.

It made Rhea's stomach ache to see him like that. To see that no one really cared about him enough to check on him. The campers looked at him like he was the sun, avoiding looking directly at him and squinting when they did.

Camp was supposed to be a safe haven, the one place a demigod belonged. It was sad to see that it didn't look like that was happening for him.

Unless...

But her friends didn't like the idea of him. They thought he was going to be another pretentious hero. One that thought that because his father was an Olympian, he was better than all of the children of the minor gods.

But they couldn't know that, a voice in the back of her mind whispered, they don't know him.

She knew it was true. He could even be as resentful of the gods as Ethan Nakamura, considering how he's treated here.

Maybe she could change that.

Making up her mind, Rhea stepped from behind the tree she was leaning on and slowly walked to where he sat on the pier, looking sullen. She sat next to him and he barely acknowledged her, just staring at the water.

"Hey," she said, her smooth voice barely piercing the silence between them, "you know how to skip rocks?"

He finally looked at her, sea green eyes wide as he slightly leaned back.

"What?" his face was a little flushed, though it was hard to tell from his dark tan. Was he surprised she was talking to him?

"Do you know how to skip rocks," she repeated, trying to supress her accent.

"Umm, no," he fidgeted slightly, "not really."

"I'll teach you," she gave him a lopsided smile, before scooping up some rocks and pouring them in between the two demigods.

She showed him how to angle his wrist, then demonstrated.

One, two, three, four, five, then it snuck into the lake.

"So where are you from," she said, watching him on his first attempt. He got three skips.

"New York city. You?"

"New Orleans." Six skips.

"Explains the accent." Rhea slightly flinched. "How long have you been here," he asks. Four skips.

"'Bout four years. Favorite color?" Seven skips.

"Blue. Godly parent?"

"You're just gettin right into it aren't you cher?" She raised an eyebrow, smirking. He flinched.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "Is that offensive?"

"Not to most. Bit of a sore subject to the unclaimed demigods."

"Oh." His eyebrows were furrowed, his sea green eyes turned to a darker blue.  
"They're bitter," it was a statement. And it was true.

"Imagine going your whole life thinkin you don't have a parent, only to find out that you do but they don't want you." Her words made him slump. His sea green eyes were pouting, reminding her of a baby seal. It made her heart hurt.

"Don't feel guilty," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "The gods are responsible for their kids. 'S not your fault their parents don't care."

His eyes were still slightly downcast, but he pulled himself up. He picked up a new rock and started skipping again.

"So, your parent," he continued. Four skips.

"Mississippi."

"The state," he yelped, turned towards her wide-eyed. She laughed softly.

"The river."

"Your dad is a river." He buried his head in his hands. She raised a dark eyebrow.

"Your daddy's the ocean." He groaned at the reminder. She snickered at him.

The dinner horn sounded off in the distance. Percy jumped, and Rhea laughed at him again. He gave her an offended look.

"What's your name?" he said, changing the subject.

"Rhea," she said, extending a dark hand for him to take. He shook it.

"Percy," he smiled.

"Well Percy," she stood up fluidly, "let's eat."

________________________________

She floated her way to the table, trying to wipe the smile off of her face. Her friends barely looked up. She sat down and tuned into the conversation.

"Look at the Poseidon kid," Kevin, a son of Eos said, "looking all happy and shit."

"Don't call him that," Rhea chided softly.

"Why're you sticking up for him. He's probably stuck up, like the rest of em," Lila, the daughter of Alastor gave her a suspicious look.

"It's just rude," Rhea mumbled, silently cursing herself. She got her food and whispered lemonade to the cup.

Her friends ignored her, getting up to sacrifice their food.

Rhea found Percy standing alone in the crowd of people rushing to get back to their table. She weaved around them, meeting Percy by the fire.

"Hey," he said. She smiled back at him.

"You good?" she asked tipping bits of her plate in, saying Hestia. She was her favorite goddess.

"Yeah, just a little tired," he was lying, she could tell from his tense stance. She let it slide, because he could tell her when he wanted to.

"Were you in ballet," Percy quickly changed the subject.

"Yeah, I go during the school year," she answered. "How'd you know?"

"You walk like you're dancing," he answered, shrugging his shoulders. They began walking back.

"So," he started, "you don't stay the entire year." She smiled at that. Despite what many have said, he was smart. It was a good thing she didn't listen to them.

Without answering, she waved goodbye, and strolled back to her table. Her friends were slightly glaring at her.

"You talked to Jackson," Ethan said, hissed. She nodded before eating her food.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"He comes in bringing all kinds of trouble-"

"Ever since he got claimed I've been getting omens of death-"

Rhea ate her food as she listened to their excuses.

 _It's not like he asked for the king of the gods to be a bitch_ , she thought. She closed her eyes, thinking of a way to coax them out of this topic.

"Why do you guys care so much about him anyways," she said instead.

"Why would we care-"

"I'm just saying," she said slowly, "that you guys talk about him a lot for people who say they don't care about the major kids."

They were silent for a second.

"Well," Kyrie, the son of Eurus said, "good point. Now how long do you guys think it'll be until it finally rains?"

Lila rolled her eyes. "Well now you jinxed it." Kyrie blushed.

________________________________

It was after dinner, and Rhea was talking to a dryad near the lake. The dryad abruptly stopped talking, blushed green, and disappeared back into their tree.

Rhea turned around. She raised her eyebrow, looking at a sheepish Luke.

"You talked a bit more than usual back there," he said.

"Well it was for a good cause," she mumbled, looking down at her ratty shoes.

"Oh?"

"He was chased to our border by a monster almost definitely sent by the gods," she started, "When he got here he was constantly treated like he was stupid for being in shock. Now he's been isolated because of who his father is."

Luke gave her a contemplating look. She quickly glanced at him, before going back to looking at her shoes.

"Well," he smiled at her oddly, "it's almost curfew. We should head in." Rhea avoided giving him a strange look, walking slowly back to her cabin for a fitful rest.

________________________________

She walked with Percy to the pier after attempting the climbing wall, legs barely keeping her up. Percy nearly collapsed when he sat down, and Rhea followed, albeit more graceful.

"That's not fair," he whined.

"What," she laughed.

"You're all graceful and stuff, like a frickin fairy," he flung his arms up and flopped on the ground. Rhea nudged him with her foot, laughing loudly when he groaned.

"It's good for climbing, no?"

"Doesn't mean it's fair," he muttered. She laughed again, brown eyes twinkling.

"If it makes you feel better, saltwater don't heal me like it would for you," she said. Percy sat up, eyebrows furrowed.

"Really?"

"Don't sound too happy now."

"I'm not," he sputtered, blushing, "just curious."

She picked up a sharp rock. "Want me to show you?"

He started to say yes, but then rethought his answer. Rhea cackled at the look on his face.

"You're too easy man." Percy fell back again, groaning.

_Snap!_

Rhea tensed up, fiddling with her bracelet. While they weren't too close to the forest, it couldn't hurt to be prepared.

Percy however, jumped up and looked around, shoulders squared and legs ready to move. But the tension melted from his shoulders when he saw who it was.

"Hey Grover!" He ran over to greet him. She saw a pale freckled boy with light brown hair. He gave Percy a hug, before coming down to sit on the pier.

"Who's your friend," he nodded towards her.

"That's Rhea," she waved at him, "she taught me how to skip rocks yesterday." Grover smiled at her, and she extended her hand to him. He hesitated, before gingerly taking her hand and lightly shaking it.

"I'm Grover," he said She smiled again.

"Rhea." She looked down into the water, watching the naiads basket weave. They sat in silence for a few moments.

"Okay, now that that's over," Percy interrupted, "Grover, how was your talk with Mr. D?"

Rhea thought back to the gossip she heard, about how this was Grover's second failure and that he would never get a searcher's license. And judging by the way he turned a sickly shade of yellow, they were probably right. Rhea felt a pang in her chest for the boy next to her. He seemed alright, if not a little shy.

"Fine," he said. "Just great."

"So your career's on track?" Rhea shot him a look. He wasn't stupid. Grover was clearly in a bad place right now.

Grover glanced at them nervously. "Chiron told you I wanted a searcher's license? And how did you know?" That was addressed to Rhea.

"Word gets around fast," she said, leaning back on her hands. The nymphs were some of the best sources for news, if they were telling the truth and not exaggerating.

"Well... no," Percy said looking a little confused. "He just said that you have big plans, you know... and that you needed credit for completing a keeper's assignment. So did you get it?"

Grover looked down at the naiads. "Mr. D suspended judgment. He said I hadn't failed or succeeded with you yet, so our fates were still tied together. If you got a quest and I went along to protect you, and we both came back alive, then maybe he'd consider the job complete."

Percy looked hopeful. "Well, that's not so bad, right?"

"Blaa-ha-ha! He might as well have transferred me to stable-cleaning duty. The chances of you getting a quest... and even if you did, why would you want me along?"

"Well he is the son of Poseidon," Rhea said, "they tend to have the best luck with getting quests." She didn't mention that the sons of Poseidon often have the worst luck with completing said quests.

"And of course I would want you on my quest!" Percy chimed in.

Grover stared glumly at the water. "Basket-weaving... must be nice to have a useful skill."

Percy tried to cheer him up, but that only seemed to make him feel worse. Rhea quickly changed the subject, starting a debate on the pros and cons of different Olympians.

Percy then asked about the empty cabins.

"The one that's silver at night, that's Artemis. When her hunters visit they stay there," Rhea explained.

"But what about the ones at the end. Are those the Big Three?"

Grover tensed, and Rhea let him take over the explanation.

"No. One of them, number two, is Hera's."

"She'd get angry if she didn't have one, even if she don't have kids," Rhea cut in.

"Right," Grover said, "that's her husband's job. When we say the big three, we mean the three powerful sons of Kronos."

"Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades."

"Don't forget Chiron." Rhea muttered.

"What?"

"Don't worry about that," Grover cut in. Rhea hugged her knees to her chest. "The point is, after the Titan war, they drew lots to decide who got what."

"Zeus got the sky," Percy said, "Poseidon got the ocean, Hades got the underworld."

"Uh-huh." Grover nodded.

Rhea thought that it was unfair the ladies didn't get to draw, especially since two out of three of the boys definitely abused their power. She kept her thoughts to herself, though.

"But Hades have a cabin here."

"No. He doesn't have a throne on Olympus, either. He sort of does his own thing down in the Underworld. If he did have a cabin here ..." Grover shuddered. "Well, it wouldn't be pleasant. Let's leave it at that."

"Even if it makes you uncomfortable, he should have a cabin. Gods should be respected," Rhea said softly, fiddling with rocks. Grover gave her a strange look, before returning to the conversation.

Rhea knew when she wasn't welcome. She also knew that the two of them needed some alone time, so she stood up and walked to the arena. She could faintly here them talking about the pact between the Big Three, which only Hades kept.

She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. She needed no distractions while training. Maybe Luke could teach her a new move with her daggers...


	2. She regrets making that friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The shenanigans begin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did research on New Orleans dialect, but that might have failed. Please tell me my mistakes!

(A/N) I did research on New Orleans dialect, but that might have failed. Please tell me my mistakes! 

The night turned out to be a restless one. 

Something welled up deep inside her that urged her to go outside and curse the sky. All of her instincts told her to use her training and hurt Zeus. 

Hurt Zeus. 

Hurt Zeus! 

HURT ZEUS! 

The rational part of her mind told her that she couldn't do that. She would barely make a step in before he would smite her. But maybe that would make the hurt stop. She only barely managed to sleep, and even then it was full of nightmares. 

Her mind shifted, sending her into a new landscape.

She was standing, frozen still as two men in togas were fighting on a beach. Behind her was a city, with buildings spread across the landscape and with palm trees and rolling hills in the distance. Were they in California? Florida? 

With a crack of thunder, her attention was back on the men. One's toga was trimmed in blue, while the other was trimmed in sea green. Like Percy's eyes. That was Poseidon, and if the nymphs were correct, the god he was fighting was- 

Stop fighting! 

Rhea turned her eyes to the boy next to her. Standing there in his pajamas was Percy Jackson. 

What? 

He looked at her, eyes wide and eyebrows raised. Before he could try to question her, a shout interrupted him. 

Give it back! Zeus shouted. He sounded like a kindergartner whose crayons were taken. 

The waves on the beach got bigger, spraying Percy with sea salt. 

He yelled again, voice cracking in desperation, and maybe puberty.

Stop fighting! 

The ground under them shook, with laughter coming from down under. The deep and sinister voice sent a shiver down her spine. 

Come down, little heroes, the voice crooned. Come down! 

The ground split below them, a chasm so deep it looked like it went straight to Tartarus. The two demigods fell straight through, hands grasping for each other as they fell into the deep, deep darkness. 

She fell straight through, and resurfaced in the smooth, flowing waters of the Mississippi. 

"I've missed you," a familiar rich deep voice said. 

"Daddy," she breathed out, relieved. 

"Little Nymph, I don't have much time." He reached out to touch her cheek. "You have to go on the quest. Life depends on it." 

What? How? Why? 

"I must go." He straightened up and waved his hand. The dream disappeared in a flurry of dark water, and she awoke with a start. 

Panicking, she felt around for her hair supplies. When she found them, she immediately got to work braiding her hair. The feeling of fingers pulling and twisting in her natural hair brought her back to the times where her mother would sit her down and do her hair. Rhea would always complain that it was too tight, and her mom would laugh. She'd give anything to have her mother braid her hair again. 

"Rhea," a sharp whisper rang through the air. Was that Percy? She tied the rest of her hair into a low puff, before looking around. She could feel a storm brewing outside. 

"Percy?" He was crouching next to her, wearing the camp shirt, unlike what she saw in her dream. Did she make it up? 

"We have to go to the Big House," he said, looking around suspiciously. Around half of the Hermes cabin was still there, and most of them were pretending to sleep, eavesdropping. 

"Hol' on now," she grumbled. "Gotta get dressed." 

She quickly got dressed and jogged with Percy to the Big House, the rain not affecting either of them. Once they got there Chiron and Grover were waiting inside. Grover looked slightly excited, but Chiron looked like his thousands of years of life had finally caught up with him. She eyed the exit, standing two steps away. 

Chiron nodded to her. "I'm sure that you already know what's been happening." Percy and Grover looked at her, surprised. She stared at the floor. 

She gave a small nod. "The nymphs are going crazy." 

"She was in my dream," Percy said. Chiron regarded her. Rhea remembered her dream, when her dad told her she had to go on a quest. Maybe this was it? 

Chiron gave a small sigh, before focusing on Percy. "The Oracle will determine whether this is your quest or not. Nevertheless, you are right. Your father and Zeus are having their worst quarrel in centuries. Something valuable has been stolen. To be precise: a lightning bolt." 

Percy laughed nervously. "A what?" 

"It's Zeus's main weapon," Rhea mumbled. All eyes turned to her. "It'd make a nuke look like a firecracker." Percy paled, and Chiron tensed and nodded, looking at her with what she thought was suspicion. 

"Yes," he said. "Forged first by the cyclops, he used his master bolt in the titan war. His lightening was used to sheer the top off of Mount Etna and hurl Kronos from his throne." 

"And it was stolen," Percy said. Rhea already knew this. Percy was blamed for stealing the bolt, but he didn't do it. She knew he was going on a quest to get it. She just didn't know why she had to go. 

The nymphs told her that Annabeth was desperate for a quest, and knowing how much Chiron favored her, she would get it. Quests only needed three people, so why was she here? Though, maybe Percy would reject her. She had treated him pretty badly.

She missed when Percy left, and started humming Get It Girl by Warren Mayes. It brought her back to the times when her mom would turn the stereo on in the kitchen and dance while they were cooking. 

Chiron sighed. Rhea felt for the man. He had just gotten a new student, one she knew he had grown attached to, and now he was going off on a dangerous quest. One which he would likely die in. 

"Percy wants you on the quest," Grover said, breaking Rhea from her thoughts. She hummed, slightly surprised. Grover was shifting, eyes looking everywhere but her. 

The door behind her made a faint creaking sound, like it was opened. She could hear breathing right next to her ear, but she couldn't see anyone. 

"I don't really know you," he continued, "but when he gets the quest, hopefully we can be friends." Apparently, the person behind her didn't like that, because Rhea could hear them clenching their fists. 

"Any friend of his is a friend of mine," she said easily. If she wanted to be good friends with Percy, she couldn't be rude to his best friend. 

Grover stopped moving and sighed. Was he relieved, or was he disappointed he would have to share his best friend with someone like her? 

"That's good, because I really need someone to talk to," he rushed. "Satyrs really don't belong in the underworld," The Underworld, she thought, surprised. "It really messes up with our noses and I'm really afraid that I'll let us down and-" 

"Grover," she said making her way to him, "you'll be aiight. I'm nervous too. I'm basically a naiad, and I'm going to a place with no water. You're not alone." Grover relaxed, fiddling with a diet coke can. She smiled at him, though inside, she was a mess. 

The Underworld, she thought wildly, do they think Hades did this? Did they talk while I wasn't listenin? And why Hades? He could barely stand them on Olympus when we went! She breathed hardly through her nose in frustration. They just see underworld and think the devil! They really blowin me right now I swear- 

Her thoughts were interrupted by Percy coming down the stairs, looking like he just received news that his mom died. 

"Well," Chiron said. 

Percy slumped into a chair. "She said I would retrieve what was stolen." 

Oracles are never that straightforward, she thought suspiciously. Shooting him a look, she almost pressed him for answers.

Grover sat forward, excitedly chewing on the remains of his diet coke can. "That's great!" 

Rhea reeled in her questions. Grover was excited, and she wouldn't spoil this for him. 

Chiron, however, didn't seem to care. "What exactly did the Oracle say?" 

Percy shuddered, as if the Oracle was right next to him. "She . .. she said four would go west and face a god who had turned." Rhea heard someone faintly hiss in triumph, "I would retrieve what was stolen and see it safely returned." He was leaving something out, and she knew it. But it will happen whether they were warned or not, so why worry? 

"I knew it," Grover said. Rhea smiled in Percy's direction, but he avoided her gaze. 

"Did she say anything else," Chiron pressed. Percy hesitated. 

"No," he said. "That's about it." 

Chiron looked at Percy intently. "Very well, Percy. But know this: the Oracle's words often have double meanings. Don't dwell on them too much. The truth is not always clear until events come to pass." 

Rhea thought it was nice Chiron was trying to make him feel better. 

"Okay," Percy said, "So where do I go? Who's this god in the west?" 

"Ah, think, Percy," Chiron said. "If Zeus and Poseidon weaken each other in a war, who stands to gain?" Rhea scrunched up her face. _A lot of gods actually,_ she thought. 

"Someone who wants to take over," Percy guessed. 

"Yes, quite," Chiron said. "Someone who harbors a grudge, who has been unhappy with his lot since the world was divided eons ago, whose kingdom would grow powerful with the deaths of millions. Someone who hates his brothers for forcing him into an oath to have no more children, an oath that both of them have now broken." 

"Hades." 

Rhea wanted to get it, she really did, but she couldn't see the quiet and reasonable Hades trying to take over Olympus. With how many people there were all over the world, it sounded like he was too busy to become king of the universe.

She didn't say anything though, choosing to keep quiet.

Chiron nodded. "The Lord of the Dead is the only possibility." _The only possibility they wanted to think of,_ she thought.

Grover started shaking again, and Rhea put a hand on his shoulder. He slightly relaxed. 

"What," Percy gasped. 

"A fury came after Percy," Chiron said making Rhea look sharply at Percy, who stubbornly avoided her stare. "She watched the young man until she was sure of his identity, then tried to kill him. Furies obey only one lord: Hades." 

_Hmm,_ Rhea thought. _He has a point._

"A hellhound got into the forest," Chiron continued. "Those can only be summoned from the Fields of Punishment, and it had to be summoned by someone within the camp. Hades must have a spy here. He must suspect Poseidon will try to use Percy to clear his name. Hades would very much like to kill this young half-blood before he can take on the quest." 

Again, Rhea didn't think that that could necessarily be Hades. There are lots of malevolent deities trapped in the Underworld, or in that area. 

"Great," Percy muttered, "now that's two major gods that want to kill me." 

"Why couldn't it be in Maine," Rhea sighed, "it's very nice this time of year." Grover nodded in agreement. 

"Hades sent a minion to steal the master bolt," Chiron insisted. "He hid it in the Underworld, knowing full well that Zeus would blame Poseidon. I don't pretend to under-stand the Lord of the Dead's motives perfectly, or why he chose this time to start a war, but one thing is certain. Percy must go to the Underworld, find the master bolt, and reveal the truth." 

Percy's sullen gaze hardened into a steel resolve. His sea green eyes darkened into a hurricane. He looked like he was ready to fight. 

Grover was trembling, eating the cards on the table like it was his last meal. Rhea rubbed her hand on his back, not really knowing what to do. No one's ever gone to her for comfort. 

"Look, if we know it's Hades," Percy said, "why can't we just tell the other gods? Zeus or Poseidon could go down to the Underworld and bust some heads." 

"Knowing and suspecting not the same thing," Rhea sighed. "Even if we did know, there's laws about that." 

Chiron nodded. "Yes. Gods cannot cross each other's territories without invitation. It's one of the ancient laws. Heroes, on the other hand, have certain privileges. They can go anywhere, challenge anyone, as long as they're bold enough and strong enough to do it. No god can be held responsible for a hero's actions. Why do you think the gods always operate through humans?" 

Percy's face soured. "You're saying I'm being used." 

"I'm saying it's no accident Poseidon has claimed you now. It's a very risky gamble, but he's in a desperate situation. He needs you." Chiron wasn't good at reassuring people, Rhea found out. Percy's angst storm didn't seem to dissipate. 

Percy looked at Chiron. "You've known I was Poseidon's son all along, haven't you?" 

"I had my suspicions. As I said... I've spoken to the Oracle, too." He was definitely holding back information, but Rhea decided to ignore it. That wasn't her business. 

"Let me get this straight," Percy said, "I'm supposed to go down to the Underworld and confront the Lord of the Dead. 

"Check," Chiron said. 

"Find the most powerful weapon in the universe." 

"Check." 

"And get it back to Olympus before the summer solstice, in ten days." 

"Mm-hm," Rhea hummed. 

Grover gulped down the ace of hearts. "Maine is really nice this time of year." 

"You don't have to go," Percy said. "I can't ask that of you." 

"Oh..." He shifted his hooves. "No... it's just that satyrs and underground places... well..." 

He took a deep breath, then stood, brushing the shredded cards and aluminum bits off his T-shirt. "You saved my life, Percy. If... if you're serious about wanting me along, I won't let you down." Rhea smiled at Grover. Percy looked so relieved he was about to cry. 

"All the way G-man," he turned to Chiron. "So where do we go? The Oracle just said go west." 

"The entrance to the Underworld is always in the west. It moves from age to age, just like Olympus. Right now, of course, it's in America." 

"Where?" 

"If Olympus was in the most recognizable place on the east coast, what's the most known place on the west coast," Rhea said.

"L.A," Percy realized. "So naturally, we get on a plane-" 

"No!" Grover shrieked. "Percy, what are you thinking? Have you ever been on a plane in your life?" Percy shook his head, looking down. 

"Percy, think," Chiron said. "You are the son of the Sea God. Your father's bitterest rival is Zeus, Lord of the Sky. Your mother knew better than to trust you in an airplane. You would be in Zeus's domain. You would never come down again alive." 

"Same thing for the kids of minor water gods," Rhea added. 

Overhead, lightning crackled. Thunder boomed. 

"Okay," Percy looking anywhere but outside, where the storm was raging. "So I'll travel overland." 

"That's right," Chiron said then sighed. "Usually two others would accompany you, but it seems the Oracle has called for one extra." 

"Is that a bad thing?" Percy asked. 

"Three's a lucky number," Rhea explained. "Usually if there's one more they don't come back." Percy paled. 

"I was hoping you would come," he said. "But I understand if you don't." 

"I'm going," she said easily. Percy sighed in relief. 

"Now the last person has volunteered, if you accept her help." 

"Gee," Percy said sarcastically. "I wonder who was stupid enough to volunteer for a quest like this." 

The air behind Chiron shimmered. 

Annabeth appeared, stuffing her Yankees cap into her back pocket. 

"I've been waiting a long time for a quest, seaweed brain," she said. "Athena is no fan of Poseidon, but if you're going to save the world, I'm the best person to keep you from messing up." 

_It's like she thinks the rest of us are incompetent or some shit. She must be jocin._

"If you do say so yourself," he said, "I suppose you have a plan, wise girl." 

Her cheeks colored. "Do you want my help or not." Percy smirked and nodded. 

_Ew. They're flirting._

"Welcome to the team," Rhea smiled wryly. 

"Excellent," Chiron said. "This afternoon, we can take you as far as the bus terminal in Manhattan. After that, you are on your own." 

Rhea could feel the rain pour along with the rhythm of her heart. Meadows that had never seen a storm were flooded. 

"No time to waste," Chiron said. "You should all get packing." 

_Just what have I gotten myself into._


	3. She let Percy drive (it was a mistake)

Rhea returned to her cabin in a slight haze. She was going on a quest, not a child of Ares or Apollo. She, the child of a minor god, was going on important quest. It felt to good to be true.

When she returned, she was immediately crowded by her cabin. Most of which have never even looked at her.

"What happened!"

"Are you in trouble?"

"Are you going to die?"

"Is Jackson going to die?"

The shouts made her head pound, and she looked frantically for a place to slip through. When she found one, she ducked under someone's arm and ran to her sleeping bag. She packed her clothes, a comb, and a spray bottle into someone's empty backpack and dashed out, running all the way to the camp store.

The employees were there waiting for her with bags of supplies for the quest. They had mortal money, golden drachmas, a bag of ambrosia squares, and a canteen of nectar. When the rest of the questers came a few moments later, Rhea explained each item to Percy. Golden drachmas for godly transactions, nectar and ambrosia to heal wounds. He was told not to eat too much because the godly food would burn him up.

Rhea observed her quest mates. Annabeth had her cap that makes her invisible, a book on architecture in Ancient Greek, and her bronze knives. Percy brought his own backpack, which he stuffed the supplies in. Grover had a green Rasta-style cap, because when it rained the tips of his horns were exposed. His bright orange backpack was filled with scrap metal and apples. He had his bagpipes in his pocket, though from what Rhea was told he wasn't a good player. The nymphs' judgements were brutal.

They walked to the border, waving at other campers as they went. Chiron was waiting in his wheelchair, along with Argus, the man with eyes all over his body. Rhea waved, she knew the chief of security from the few excursions her friends would force her on.

"This is Argus," Chiron explained to Percy, "He will be your escort to the city to, ah, keep an eye on things." Rhea smirked at the pun, before turning at the sound of footsteps.

"Hey Luke," she said, catching Annabeth's attention. Luke smiled at Rhea and turned Percy, heaving. Rhea didn't pay any mind to their conversation, opting to look at the basketball shoes he was carrying. She'd never seen them near his bunk, and she's also never seen the Stoll brothers run around with them. Zeus knows how quickly they would be stolen.

Rhea narrowed her eyes when the shoes sprouted wings. The Stolls would have definitely stolen those shoes. So why has she never seen them?

Rhea tuned back into the conversation to hear Luke tell the fake story of his shoes.

"Those served me well when I was on my quest. Gift from Dad. Of course, I don't use them much these days...." His expression turned a fake sad. Rhea watched as everyone's expression turn to match his. Rhea sighed internally. Luke was one of the first people to welcome Percy, he was Annabeth's crush, and Grover's hero. She couldn't convince them Luke was up to something, she could only try to keep them from wearing those shoes.

Luke shook Percy's hand, pat Grover between the horns, and gave Annabeth and Rhea a hug. Annabeth gave Rhea a weirdly smug look, to which Rhea responded with one of confusion. Annabeth quickly turned around.

Percy turned to Annabeth. "You're hyperventilating."

"Am not."

"You let him capture the flag instead of you, didn't you?" Rhea remembered that she helped knock out the pursuers, and that Luke wouldn't have made it without her saving from being cornered in the beginning. She decided not to correct Percy.

_Not like I get recognized for achievements anyways_ , she reasoned.

"Oh ...why do I want to go anywhere with you, Percy?"

Annabeth stomped down the other side of the hill, where an SUV waited on the shoulder of the road. Argus followed with the keys.

Percy picked up the flying shoes, nose scrunching up like he smelled something nasty. He turned to Chiron. "I'm won't be able to use these, will I?"

Chiron shook his head. "Luke means well, but taking to the sky right now would be... unwise for you."

Percy looked down, shoulder slightly slumped, then he perked up. "Hey Grover," he said, turning to the satyr, "want some magic shoes?"

Grover's eyes lit up. "Me?"

They laced the shoes over his fake feet, and before long he was ready for take off.

"Maia!" He shouted.

He got off the ground okay, but then fell over sideways so his backpack dragged through the grass. The winged shoes kept bucking up and down like tiny broncos. Rhea giggled behind her hand.

"Practice," Chiron called after him. "You just need practice!"

"Aaaaa!" Grover flew sideways down the hill like a tree in a hurricane

Percy moved to follow him, but Chiron caught his arm. Rhea sensed that they needed to take alone, so she started down the hill.

She hopped into the SUV and turned to Grover. "Nice flyin," she said. Grover flushed.

"I'd like to see you do better," Annabeth muttered across from her.

"Unfortunately I'd like to live," Rhea raised an eyebrow.

"I don't think Luke likes cowards," Annabeth gave a small smirk. Rhea felt a tiny urge to wipe it off of her face.

"I don't think you understand," Rhea leaned forward. "As the daughter of a river god, I can't fly." Annabeth flushed, before returning to her book.

Where did that come from, Rhea frowned internally. They sat in an awkward silence before Percy came in. He raised his eyebrows at her, and she answered with a shrug. He decided to let it go, sitting down to join them in silence.

Argus drove them out of the countryside and into western Long Island. Rhea found the experience of riding in a car quite alien. It's been four years since she ran away. She hasn't seen mortal civilization in four years. Instead of napping like she planned, she stared through the window like a dog on their first car ride. The sight of a McDonald's has never been so exciting.

Percy turned to Annabeth. "So far so good," Rhea nearly groaned at his train of thought, "ten miles and no monsters."

"Bad way to break the ice, cher," Rhea shook her head.

"What?" he said.

Annabeth shot both of them an irritated look. "It's bad luck to talk that way, seaweed brain."

Percy huffed. "Remind me again why you hate me so much?"

"I don't hate you." That was pretty obvious to Rhea, though she wondered why Annabeth acted so different with Percy compared to her other crush, Luke.

"Could've fooled me." Rhea decided to ignore their flirting, choosing to engage Grover in a thumb war.

"Right Rhea?"

She looked up. "What?"

"Athens must have really liked olives." Rhea nodded.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Oh forget it."

"I get why Athena won," Rhea said, "but it would be better if she invented pizza." Percy chuckled, Annabeth huffed.

"Wait, what," Percy asked. "You know why she won?"

"It was profitable, unlike that saltwater spring seaweed brain," Annabeth said smugly. From the front, Argus winked at Percy.

Rhea leaned forward to whisper in Percy's ear. "They used it as lube." Percy turned a bright red as Rhea cackled. Grover put his hands over his sensitive ears.

Traffic slowed them down in Queens. By the time they got into Manhattan it was sunset and starting to rain. Rhea smiled as she listened to the droplets fall, while Percy seemed to get more moody.

Argus dropped them off at the Greyhound Station on the Upper East Side. Taped to a mailbox was a picture of Percy with the caption: HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BOY. Rhea decided to ignore it. It was hard enough for him to have the weight of the world in his shoulders.

Percy ripped it off before Annabeth and Grover could notice.

He looked off in a particular direction with a longing look on his face.

Grover shouldered his backpack and turned to gazed in the direction Percy was looking. "You want to know why she married him, Percy?" Rhea assumed this was about Percy's step-dad.

"Were you reading my mind or something?"

"Just your emotions." He shrugged. "Guess I forgot to tell you satyrs can do that. You were thinking about your mom and your stepdad, right?"

"Your mom married Gabe for you," Grover told me. "You call him 'Smelly,' but you've got no idea. The guy has this aura.... Yuck. I can smell him from here. I can smell traces of him on you, and you haven't been near him for a week."

"Thanks," Percy said. "Where's the nearest shower?" Rhea snorted.

"You should be grateful, Percy. Your stepfather smells so repulsively human he could mask the presence of any demigod. As soon as I took a whiff inside his Camaro, I knew: Gabe has been covering your scent for years. If you hadn't lived with him every summer, you probably would've been found by monsters a long time ago. Your mom stayed with him to protect you. She was a smart lady. She must've loved you a lot to put up with that guy-if that makes you feel any better."

By the look on his face, Percy was definitely not thankful.

Grover, Annabeth, and Rhea went to sit in the waiting area, while Percy stayed in place, looking at the ground with his eyebrows furrowed.

"Wanna sit down?" Rhea asked gently. His head snapped up and he gave her a small smile, before sitting down with the rest of them.

They waited in the rain for a bit before they got restless. Annabeth went into Grover's backpack and brought out an apple, suggesting they play Hacky Sack. She proved to be skilled at the game, and Percy did pretty okay. Rhea didn't know how to do that at first, but she quickly got into a rhythm.

"Cheater," Percy whispered from beside her after watching her graceful movements. She grinned back at him.

The game ended when Percy tossed the apple too close to Grover's mouth. He swallowed the entire thing, core, stem, and all. Rhea was genuinely impressed.

He tried to apologize, but Annabeth and Percy were too busy laughing. Rhea looked around to see that they were attracting looks from the people around them, making her shrink in on herself.

The bus finally came and while they were boarding, Rhea saw Grover sniffing like he just caught a whiff of his favorite food.

"What is it?" Percy asked. Rhea looked up inquisitively from behind him.

"I don't know," Grover said tensely. "Maybe it's nothing." Rhea knew that in the demigod world, there was no such thing as 'just nothing'. So just to make sure, Rhea looked around as soon as she sat down, and she could see Annabeth doing the same thing. Rhea kept her backpack on, ready to take off at a moments notice.

She tensed when the last passengers boarded the bus.

"Percy," Annabeth said, finally stopping the distracting tapping of her Yankees cap.

Rhea zeroed in on the three old ladies that just sat down. The first one wore a crumpled velvet dress, lace gloves, and a shapeless orange-knit hat that shadowed her face, and she carried a big paisley purse. When she tilted her head up, her black eyes glittered, and Rhea's heart jumped into her throat.

Rhea looked down and started tugging at her puff.

Behind her came two more old ladies: one in a green hat, one in a purple hat. Otherwise they looked exactly like the first one-same gnarled hands, paisley handbags, wrinkled velvet dresses. Triplet demon grandmothers.

They sat in the front row, right behind the driver. The two on the aisle crossed their legs over the walkway, making an X. It was casual enough, but it sent a clear message: nobody leaves.

The bus pulled out of the station, and we headed through the slick streets of Manhattan. "She didn't stay dead long," Percy said in a low voice.

"I said if you're lucky," Annabeth said. "You're obviously not."

"How many mirrors have you broken, cher," Rhea muttered.

"All three of them," Grover whimpered. "Di immortales!"

"It's okay," Annabeth said, obviously thinking hard. "The Furies. The three worst monsters from the Underworld. No problem. No problem. We'll just slip out the windows."

"Don't open," Rhea and Grover said in unison.

"A back exit?" she suggested.

There wasn't one. Even if there had been, it would've been useless. By that time, they were on Ninth Avenue, heading for the Lincoln Tunnel.

"They won't attack us with witnesses around," Percy said. "Will they?"

"Mortals don't have good eyes," Annabeth reminded him. "Their brains can only process what they see through the Mist."

"So they'll see three old ladies killing us," Percy said.

"Such an embarrassing way to go," Rhea muttered. Percy smirked.

"Can you take this seriously," Annabeth whispered sharply. Rhea ducked her head.

"Hey," Percy said. "Lay off."

Annabeth scowled. "Anyways, we can't rely on mortals. Maybe an emergency exit on the roof..."

They hit the Lincoln Tunnel, and the bus went dark except the running lights in the aisle. Rhea tugged more frantically at her hair without the sound of the rain filling the bus.

The first Kindly One got up. In a flat voice, as if she'd rehearsed it, she announced to the whole bus: "I need to use the rest-room."

"So do I," said the second sister.

"So do I," said the third sister.

They all started coming down the aisle.

"I've got it," Annabeth said. "Percy, take my hat."

"What?"

"You're the one they want. Turn invisible and go up the aisle. Let them pass you. Maybe you can get to the front and get away."

"But you guys-"

"There's an outside chance they might not notice us," Annabeth said. "You're a son of one of the Big Three. Your smell might be overpowering." Rhea wondered morbidly if the stronger monsters had better noses. She decided she didn't want to find out.

"I can't just leave you."

"Don't worry about us," Grover said.

"Go!"

Percy was still hesitating, Yankees cap in his hand. Rhea rolled her eyes and pulled him by his wrist. He quickly pulled the cap on and vanished. The three remaining demigods sighed in relief when the Kindly Ones walked past him.

Rhea felt her hands tremble when the Furies walked closer, shedding their disguises as they went. Their bodies shriveled into leathery brown hag-bodies with bat wings with hands and feet like gargoyle claws. Their handbags turned into fiery whips.

They surrounded the three, whips lashing. Rhea could feel the heat sucking out her life force.

"Where is it!" They cried. "Where is it!" It? Rhea wondered, before clearing her thoughts. That could wait until later.

Faintly she could hear other people on the bus screaming.

"He's not here!" Annabeth yelled. "He's gone!"

The Furies raised their whips. Rhea's hands went to her bracelets, Annabeth raised her knife, Grover grabbed a metal can.

Before she could do a surprise attack, Rhea's dumbass radar went off. The next thing she knew, the Furies were smashed against the right window. Rhea was sent to the seat across.

She popped back up as a whip was sent at her. Sliding under it, she tugged on a bracelet. The dagger brought out was stabbed right into a Fury's armpit.

The injured Fury swiped at her with sharp claws. Rhea danced away. It came again, but this time Rhea sidestepped forward. She brought out her other dagger, stabbing it straight into the Fury's heart. It exploded into dust, and Rhea was thrown into a seat by the swerving bus.

Rhea slowly got up, looking out the window. They were speeding through a wooded area, and the bus was veering towards the Hudson River.

Rhea was thrown to the left as the bus crashed into trees. Emergency lights came on. The door opened. People rushed out of the bus as Rhea picked herself up. Her vision blurred then refocused on her surroundings, and what she saw was chaos.

The remaining Furies were lashing their whips at Annabeth and Grover. Annabeth brandished her knife, cursing at them in Ancient Greek. Grover threw tin cans. Rhea slowly got up and made her way towards them, stumbling along the way.

Her dumb ass radar tingles again, before the air in front shimmered and Percy appeared.

"Hey!" he called out. The Furies turned to face him, the leader's whip cackling as the other crawled towards him. His face immediately paled.

_Serves you right_ , Rhea groaned. _We told you to leave_. Though she understood that loyalty. Annabeth and Grover were special to him.

"Perseus Jackson," Alecto snarled. "You have offended the gods. Prepare to die." The gods?

"I liked you better as a math teacher."

Alecto growled. Rhea inched forward with the other quest mates, ready to jump them.

Percy uncapped a pen, turning it into a double edged sword. The Furies hesitated.

"Submit now," Alecto hissed. "And you will not suffer eternal punishment." For Rhea, being awake right now was a punishment. Her head was killing her.

"Nice try," Percy said.

"Percy look out!" Annabeth shouted. Rhea winced at the loud sound.

Tisiphone's whip caught him on the wrist. He struck her with the sword hilt. As she flew back, he turned and stabbed her. She exploded into golden dust. Alecto was grabbed from behind by Annabeth. Her whip was taken by Grover, who tried to hold the burning leather.

Rhea stumble to the back, grabbing a random bag. She quickly came back.

Alecto was wailing. "Zeus will destroy you!" she promised. "Hades will have your soul!"

"Braccas meas vescimini!" Percy yelled. Rhea giggled at the words: eat my pants!

Thunder shook the bus. The hairs on the back of Rhea's neck stood up.

"Get out!" Annabeth yelled. "Now!"

They rushed outside and found the other passengers wandering around in a daze, arguing with the driver, or running around in circles yelling, "We're going to die!" A Hawaiian-shirted tourist with a camera snapped Percy's photograph while his sword was still out.

"Our bags," Grover exclaimed, though Rhea didn't know why. "We left our-"

BOOM!

The windows of the bus exploded as the passengers ran for cover. Lightning shredded a huge crater in the roof. An angry wail from inside rang out, causing Rhea to shake.

"Run!" Annabeth said. "She's calling for reinforcements! We have to get out of here!"

They plunged into the woods as the rain poured down, the bus in flames behind us, and nothing but darkness ahead.


End file.
